Power-transmission means



May 8; 1928.

L. E. G. BUEHLER `Powim 'TRANSMISSION xmms Filed Jvtme 27 1927.

May 8, 1928. l A A. 1,668,709

L. E. G; BUEHLER row'h'rnmsmssron mms Filed June 27.' 1927 3 Shins-Sheet 5 O O if f3 Ilma. q 'QZ @In *uury @#15 @3M/ef lllllll H.

' llllllq k #www 56 5@ W;

Patented May 8,A 1928.1

PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS n. G. BUEHLER, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

Application led June 27, 1927. Serial No. 201,608. y

This invention relates to improvements in power transmission devices and has for its several main objects to provide a speed redueing gear for pulleys, drums and the like which is substantially completely housed by the pulley, drum or the like; which is capable of being varied in length to accord with the width of the tace ot' the pulley or drum which houses the same without efiecting any variation of the speed reducing mechanism per se or its casing, and, finally, to provide a speed reducing mechanism for pulleys, drums and the like equipped with a. safety vent stripping of the gearsoi the mechanism. y

A further important object of the invention is to provide a rotatable housing for speed transforming gearing for the purpose specified which is so mounted in its bearings as to provide for maximum strength and minimum friction while, at the same time,`

the operating shafts for effecting rotation of the housing are relieved of all strains and stresses other than the torsional strains and stresses incident to the' resistance to their free rotation imposed by the load on the pulleys, drum or the like carried by the housing. l

The invention has other objects inview relating more particularly to details of construction and will appear and be readily understood from the following specification. rl`he preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: i b

Figure l is a central longitudinal section of a pulley and speed reducing mechanismv constructed in accordance with `the invention.

Figures Q'and 8 are, respectively, end elevations thereof?. f

Figure 4 is a. fragmentary detail sectionalv viewillustrating the means employed for varying the length of Athe speed reducing mechanism to accord with the width of face of the pulley or drum associated therewith.

Figures 5, 6 and 7` are detail perspective views of parts of the mechanism.

Heretofore, so far as I am informed, the speed reducing gears for pulleys, theV drums of hoisting machinery and the like, have been disposed between the motor (usually c-.evice adapted, in event of overload,`to preelectrical)` and one` of the bearings for the pulley, drum or the like. As the speed trans- :tormers occupy considerable space, the saving of which is always desirable, and, in most instances, very important, the present invention is very advantageous in that it effects very appreciable space economy.

ln the accompanying drawings I have il lustrated a planetary gear speed transformer which 'includes three sets of plane.

tary gears. This is merely exemplary as it willbe obvious that the number of sets of said gears may be increased or decreased in accordance withthe required ratio of speed transformation.

.The speed transformer of the present in vention differs mainly from other structures of the same general type in that the casing` thereof is .divided into two main portions each of which may contain one or more sets of planetary gears and associated elements, the said casing parts being so associated that they may be spaced from each other to substantially any desired extent in a very simple and inexpensive manner as will hereinafter more `lully appear, the specific advantages of this expedient being also herein after fully explained. i

The mechanism comprises a suitable base l upon which the bearing standards 2 and 3 are mounted, it being understood, of course, that said base `may be inverted and the members 2 and 3 thus transformed into hangers.

5 ot the outer end wall 6 of the casing 7` projects. The said bearing is equipped with a steel sleeve S which projects therefrom at one end` and is spaced from the said hub 5. The ysleeve 8 is provided between its ends with an 'annular flange 9 Which abuts the bearing 4, the free outer cylindrical face of said sleeve S lying between the said'flange 9 and the inner end of said sleeve constituting the raceway tor the antifriction rollers 10.l Concentric iviththe hub 5 is an annular iiange 11 -linedwith a steel bushing 12 between which and the sleeve S the rollers 10 are confined, said sleeve 8 being held rigidly in pla-ce by means of set-screws 8.

The details of construction .described in the next preceding paragraph afford large and 'very strong anti-friction bearings for the housing at the least expense for metal l Lactancia or key or in the destruction of one .of the parts held against relative rotation thereby. Hence the substitution of the type of spline shown in Figs. 6 and is very advantageous in'fthat it will bear a far greater strain and will not work loose under most severe usage such as shock due to sudden load imposed on a hoist or elevator belt associated with the pulley or drum.

I claim as my invention l. A speed transformer including a casing adapted to carry an element to be forcibly rotated, bearings in which the opposite end portions of said casing are journalled, drive shaft and countershafts disposed axially of said. easing, gearing with in the latter operatively as'iociating the several shafts for causing the same to rotate relatively to the casing at different speeds, one of said shafts projecting from one end of the casing and the other thereof from the other end of said casing, and means associated with one of said projecting shafts and a part rigid with one of said bearings for preventing rotation of said shaft to thereby cause the casing to bc rotated, said means including a shear pin for determining; the maximum force applied to said casing for rotating the same against resistance to such rotation.

2. A speed transformer including a casing, bearings in which the same is rotatable, drive and countershafts disposed axially of said casing and said bearings, gearing operatively associating said shafts to cause them to rotate simultaneously at respectively diffcrent speeds relatively to said casing, and means associated with one of said bearii'igs and said countershaft for holding the latter' against rotation to thereby cause the casing to rotate responsively to rotation of the drive-shaft, said means including a seve able element adapted to 'determine the maximum strain to which the rotating elements may be subjected. Y i

3. A speed transformer of the type herein-described including a casing consisting of two separable main portions adapted to be rigidly coupled, each of said portions containing gearing, a discontinuous shaft extending from one of said portions to the other thereof for operatively associating the gearing inone thereof with the gearing in the other thereof, a shaft coupling associated with said discontinuous shaft and disposed to span the joint between said portions, said joint `arranged to permit the interposition of an extension. sleeve between said portions to thereby extend the length of the casing, said sleeve arranged for coaction with the opposed joined portions of said casing portions to permit the insertion of shaft couplings of lengths proportionate to the increased length of the casing.

4. A speed transformer including a pulley or the like, a casing housed byand carrying the same, bearingsfor the ends of the casing in which the latter is rotatable, drive and countershafts extending `axially ofsaid casing, the latter comprising two main portions having opposed coupled hub portions, gearing in each of said `n'iain portions for operatively associating the several shafts, thelatter including a discontinuous shaft and a coupling for the same, the latter disposed in said opposed hub portions and spanning the joint therebetween. said joint permitting the interposition of an extension sleeve and the insertion of a shaft coupling of length proportionate to said extension sleeve.

5. In a speed transformer including a plurality of sets of speed transforming gears,

each set having a housing independent of' the other, said housings disposed in axial alignment and having opposed hubs coupled with each other against relative rotation, said hubs provided in their opposed ends with annular recesses together constitilting a bearing for a shaft coupling, axially aligned shafts constituting parts of the respective speed transforming gear sets associated with said coupling to thereby operatively associate said gear sets, said coupling arranged for replacement by a coupling` of greater length and said hubs arranged for the reception therebetween of an extension sleeve to thereby vary the axial length of the whole structure to accommodate pulleys and the like of different widths of face.

6. In a speed transformer including a plu 'ality of sets of `speed transforming' gears, each set having a housing independent of the other, said housings disposed in axial alignment and having opposed hubs, an extension sleeve adapted to be interposed between and rigidly secured to said hubs, a shaft coupling adapted to be journalled in said sleeve'and said hubs, and associated with axially aligned shafts of the .respective gear sets for operatively associating the latter.

7. In a speed transformer including a plurality of sets of speed transforming gears, each set having a housing independent of the other, said housings disposed in axial alignment and having opposed hubs, said hubs provided in their opposed ends with annular recesses together constituting a bearing for opposite end portions of a shaft coupling for associating axially aligned shafts of the respective gear sets to thereby operatively associate the latter witheach other, said shaft coupling interchangeable with similar couplings of greater length,

and an extension sleeve adapted to be inj terposed between and rigidly secured to said hubs to constitute a bearing for the middle portion of a longer coupling.

porting member equipped with a eylindri- @al member of smaller diameter than and projecting into said annular flange of said 10 housing, and anti-friction rollers interposed between said flange and said eylindrial nieniber.

LOUIS E. G. BUEHLER. 

